Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1887-10-01
THE COMMISSION.


nc ts Again Grinding Out Testimony
Concerning she Pacific Roads.
NEW YORK, Sept 2l.-The Pacific rail-
road commission resumed its examination
this morning Mr.. Cohen, in answer to
requests for vouchers rs to the large dis
bursements made by Huntington, stated
that Governor Stanford had refused to for
ward them, as the commission had already
a great many important documents of ths
company which it had failed TO return.
de did not propose to intrust any more
such papers with the commission.
c. P. Huntington was particularly ques-
toned with reference to those vouchers,
which bear his signature, and appear
TO be for legal service and expense ae-
count" 1t all happened so long ago that
the witness could not remember now, ex-
actly. This money was not used for any
but legal and proper purposes.
Mr.. Anderson asked the witness if he
thought it proper to use this money in pay
ment Of large fees to members of congress,
at the time bills of great peeuni-
airy interest to the Central Pacific
company were pending, and before
the feed members had voted thereon2
Witness answered: ~ should hesitate be-
fore paying such fee. OF course, when we
wanted legal advice, and We required il
often, We always
WANTED THE BEST
Huntington said that between 1872 and
the present time there had been many bills
in congress affecting the Central Pacific
company, and it was necessary to collect
great deal of information regarding the
road for the information of members Of
congress, and this cost great deal Of
money. 1t was the custom TO retain and
employ men to approach congressman and
explain to them just how matters stood.
One man could not see all these Legislators,
and it was necessary for great many to
act. The witness said it was lively times
for the Central Pacific while Tom
ScOtt's project was before congress.
Witness wrote great many letters tott
ID. r. Cotton at this time. He understood
they had been stolen from safe in San
Francisco. Four agents of Colton's admin
lstratrix had tried to sell them to swit-
ness, but he declined to buy.
The commissioners produced copies of
these letters, with the names omitted,
being enjoined in San Francisco by the
Central Pacific from producing the names
In the original. The witness declined to
fill the blank in one letter in which he
characterized California congressman as
damn hog" In another Scott had
switched" certain senators to his side,
but that they could be
SWITCHED BACK
This, he explained, meant they could be
brought back to the Union Pacific side by
proper argument. Mr.. Huntington was
getting excited, and exclaimed dramatic
ally: Il never wrote letter that 1 would
not be willing to have published to the
world and posted on every bulletin. never
used money to influence congressman; it
would be wrong if strange 400 there should
not be some corrupt men," Mr.. Hunting
ton said he did not think Scott ever paid,
or offered to pay for votes Of members Of
congress. As to his statement
in another letter that the
committee on railroads of the house,
was fixed up for Scott, the witness said:
Il don't think that anybody was bought
with money" Here the witness began to
get angry with suggestions in Anderson's |
that there was something |
venal in the language of his letters, and he |
proceeded to make an impassioned speech. |
He said: "A lot of their skinned politicians |
are always ready to place a wrong con- |
struetion on my language, and see that it |
has even disturbed this commission"
Commissioner Anderson said: ''Those |
letters are produced to ascertain if any of |
the money represented by these unex-
planned vouchers was used to purchase |
Mr.. Huntington replied: "I 4
can say positively that it never was" It
was decided that he should submit some
scheme for settling the affairs of the road
with the government at Fridays session. ),